Agricultural News
Exciting Things Coming up For Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Including the Conference on July 19
Thu, 07 Jul 2022 10:42:28 CDT
Farm Director, KC Sheperd, had the chance to catch up with the Professional Development Coordinator for Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, Melody Aufill. Aufill fills KC in on resources Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom has to offer and talks about the upcoming conference.
"Ag in the classroom is a really great program and I am one of the state coordinators along with Emily Ague, who serves southwest Oklahoma, and Annie Davis who serves northeast Oklahoma," Aufill said. "I kind of do the other sections."
Aufill said Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a three-way partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, the State Department of Education and OSU Extension. The Department of Agriculture is where they are based, she added.
"We have been trying to educate teachers about agriculture so they can educate their students," Aufill said.
The state summer conference is coming up on July 19 at the Moore Norman Technology Center in Oklahoma City from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The conference is open to everyone and is an opportunity for educators to explore the many avenues of Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom.
"All of our lessons and activities are hands-on and engaging for students and lets them explore agriculture and make a connection to something in their everyday life that they have never thought of before," Aufill said.
Aufill said by visiting agclassroom.org/ok, teachers can access resources and lessons. The nice thing about Ag in the Classroom, Aufill said is you can implement it as much or as little as you would like.
There are lessons on the website to assist in the teaching of any skill or subject including categories such as main idea or scientific principles, Aufill said. The activities and lessons, she added, are aligned to Oklahoma academic standards.
There are also recipes on the website, Aufill said, to help students make the connection to where their food comes from. For teachers in urban areas who feel like Ag in the Classroom would not make sense in their classroom because of location and students, Aufill said the lessons fit in anywhere.
"Everyone eats every day, and we all wear clothes, so we should know where our food comes from," Aufull said. "We need to know about those farmers who raise and grow our food and our clothing."
Aufill touched on the summer conference again and said she encourages everyone who wants to attend to sign up for free in advance.
"We have a great keynote speaker," Aufill said. "He was a speaker at our national conference last week. He is entertaining and educational."
During the day, Aufill said teachers can choose from 8 different breakout sessions four different times. Teachers from around the state who are committed to ag in the classroom will come and share an idea or lesson during the individual breakout sessions, Aufill added.
"We also recognize our teacher of the year," Aufill said. "We will have some goodies, of course, at Ag in the Classroom we love to spoil teachers and treat them and honor them for the hard work they do."
Aufill said the conference will also include a variety of vendors and lunch will be catered by Ted's.
As next school year reaches closer, Aufill said the week after Labor Day, Ag in the Classroom will have "Read an Accurate Ag Book Week". Teachers are encouraged to sign up to read to their students.
"We will also have some zoom options," Aufill said. "Last year the Lieutenant Governor read a book and teachers could sign up to hear him read a book to their students."
There are plenty of ways for anyone to participate in the "Read an Accurate Ag Book Week", so Aufill encourages anyone who is interested in agriculture to reach out to a local classroom or a local school and see if they can participate.
More information will be posted on the website and Facebook after the state summer conference on July 19.
Click the LISTEN BAR below to listen to KC's conversation with Melody Aufill on Oklahoma Ag in the classroom and the upcoming conference.
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